“The support of the capital’s public transportation is a central challenge for the government, and I am pleased to confirm today that this complex planning is being implemented exactly as we have scheduled,” stated Kyr. Mitsotakis, who was present today at the Renti depot on the occasion of the introduction of 100 additional buses.
The Prime Minister, accompanied by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Christos Staikouras, and Deputy Minister Vasilis Oikonomou, was briefed by the CEO of O.SY., Stefanos Agiasoglou, about the 100 new electric midi buses, 9 meters long, which have been integrated into the bus lines of O.SY., and are in addition to the 278 new anti-pollution technology buses already operating in Attica.
As the deployment of buses continues, the fleet serving Attica will have been strengthened by 405 vehicles by the end of February, upgrading the quality of services offered to passengers and easing congestion on the capital’s roads, as part of the goal to acquire a total of 950 new buses by 2025.
Parallel to this, a new international tender has been announced for the acquisition of an additional 125 electric buses, 12 meters long, for the public transportation of Attica, with a completion horizon for the summer of 2026 and utilizing European funds.
During the visit, the Prime Minister had the opportunity to learn about the technologically advanced applications of the new buses, such as the breathalyzer at the driver’s seat. From now on, every driver will undergo a breath test, and only if the test result is negative will the bus start.
Concluding the visit, Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated:
“The support of the capital’s public transportation is a central challenge for the government, and I am pleased to confirm today that this complex planning is being implemented exactly as we have scheduled.
I had the opportunity today to oversee the new electric and natural gas buses, which are being integrated into the fleet that serves the broader needs of the basin.
Our goal—and we will achieve it—is to have 900 new buses by mid-2025, but of course, it’s not enough just to replace older buses with newer environmentally friendly ones, accessible to our fellow citizens with disabilities. The very important challenge we need to win is to increase the frequency of routes so that citizens can be better served, and for this, we need not only more buses but also more drivers.
The Ministry will soon have the opportunity to present our overall plan for upgrading public transportation in the capital, not only regarding buses but also the interventions we want to make in the Metro, on how to replace old and largely outdated trains with new ones, and on how—and we are making an effort here—to increase the frequency of routes. A 21st-century capital cannot lack a modern public transportation system.
We know that for many years, as a result of the crisis, there have been no substantive investments, especially in our buses. So we are moving at a great pace to make up for lost time, always keeping in mind the best service for citizens, whom we want to steer towards public transportation, also utilizing new technologies such as tap-and-ride, which I am pleased to see has already been embraced, especially by our younger fellow citizens.
So, you just need to wait a bit to see the overall presentation by the Ministry in the coming days, to see the government’s plan in its entirety.”
On his part, the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Christos Staikouras, stated: “The renewal of the bus fleet, for the first time in 15 years, is proceeding according to our commitments. These days, an additional 100 9-meter electric buses are operating on the streets of Athens, all equipped with the capability of card fare payment, and in the coming days, 27 18-meter natural gas buses will be added, raising the total number of new buses operating in the streets of Attica to 405.
The goal remains a total of 950 new buses this year, with a new tender also announced for 125 new buses in 2026. All these improvements enhance the quality of services provided and the accessibility of transportation.”